Saturday, April 14, 2007

Electricity & Voltage in Taiwan

Singapore voltage: 240 V / 50 Hz Taiwan's electric current is 110 V, 60 Hz which is the same as the U.S. and thus the wall sockets are made for standard American 2 pin flat plugs.

 

If your appliance indicate 110v-240v 50~60Hz it should be able to be used in Taiwan but you might need one of those multi-adapter plugs.

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Waits...

Reported our bookings to group and told them that if they don't like having to change rooms, we still have time to book another hotel but nobody bothered to speak up. Am secretly wishing they would & we can try other hotels...hehe...or even worse, book another better hotel then sabotage the FS booking by telling them the personnel called to update us that it is full...:K

Futurestar called to say that they made a booboo on the hotel rooms. Apparently the 4 person room was occupied on 19th so they have to move the 4 to two double rooms and return them to the 4 pax rm on the next day. Arr...quite confusing but thats not my problem since I'm staying put in the 2 person room.

Sunday, April 08, 2007

捷运 stands for metro EasyPass Taipeipass

Coincidentally the TV was showing a taiwan program. I'll remember this term so I can use it in taiwan. Easypass

  • has 20% discount on Taipei Metro, other transport system: No.
  • can be used on all Danshui Ferries
  • can be used in Keelung Keyun (Bus)?uncertain?
  • can be used in Yilan?uncertain?
Taipeipass Price adjusted to:
  • 1day - $180
  • ($250 1day pass for 3 Maokong Gondola Rides Option - only worthit if 3stops roundtrip)
  • 2day - $310
  • 3day - $440
  • 5day - $700

Q: Can Taipeipass be used in Keelung and Danshui Ferry?

Courage, Onward Twit!

TS was full! On 19th May. With only one double room TS3 left. More than one month (42 days to be exact) beforehand. How pathetic! :(

It must be really good to be that popular or the 50% promo is the real deal! If you are intending to go there book earlier!

That got me worried that the situation might be the same in other hotels especially since the ones we are recce-ing are the el cheapo kind with minimal facilities since we need only a clean and safe place to sleep and bathe.

Note: At this point when we checked, Rainbow is already filled, Kilin and Ferrary were not even considered as they are fully booked. Even Chengdu (royal castle) which wasn't even considered was currently left with 2-3 rooms for that date. I wonder what is the occasion over there in Taipei? Besides being weekends? Or is it because these are the better hotels?

Decided to place a call to Futurestar. The personnel, Ms Li must be quite amused with my kiasu-ness (or craziness I dunno) coz there were many rooms available except for the NT$1480 combi one ( 精緻和式套房) . Placed a booking for a 豪華四人套房 for 4+ 溫馨套房 for 2 to suit the needs of other grp members.

Sucess! A stone has been laid down in my heart 放下了一百个心

Call, Email, Fax or Book Online

Boy am I good at procrastinating too!

- Booking online through some online sites seem dangeruse when the T&C is read

- I no longer trust my fockedup unreliable tour agent to book a hotel for us (without trying to rob us at the same time)

- Fax seems to be cheaper but I want the booking to be over and done with b4 the new week starts as the hotels seem to filling up quick.

- Tried emailing TS but after one day still there was no reply. Being anxious, I decided not to wait but just call them up using my trusty chinese :P


Yup, but for those who are not urgent you can use singtel fax which is cheaper and a paper confirmation is nice in a psychological sense that everyone in your big grp get to keep a tangible copy.

Simply enter 012 for the fax connection followed by the country code which in this case is: 886 then the area code for taipei: 2 (you do not need to put 02) lastly. the telephone number of the hotel: XXX XXXX (whichever number of digits required)

Summary: 012 886 2 XXXXXXX

IDD calls

Initially I considered using Singtel - v019 seems to be the cheapest on paper 16cts/min weekdays & 10cts/min weekends Free registration & subscription (I don't know if there'd be charge for cancellation?) BUT might need to apply 5 days b4 you dial O.o;

Summary: 019 886 2 XXXXXXX

But I ended up using M1 simply because of my mobile plan 021 4.5cts/min flat rate Summary: 021 886 2 XXXXXXX

You basically get more out of using landline instead of a mobile but mobile phone seem to be IDD automatically available unless requested otherwise by the user so you can dial immediately.

For Overseas calls to Taiwan, you do not need to put a '0' in front of the Taipei Area Code but for calls made within Taiwan, you need to to add a zero. Press '02' instead of '2'. How's that for confusion?

From the above stated, I do seem rather excessive...

Will there be hotel rooms left at this rate?

Forgive me for being kiasu. Finally we prodded the people into some action after compiling the results! You notice the emphasis on some?

The results of yesterday's night discussion:
1. TS Hotel
2. Future Star Hotel
3. Neijiang Hotel
4. Wonstar
5. Keyman's (my idea just in case)

It was painful watching them drag the cat around that I decided to start the ball rolling by volunteering to call TS first today and making them participate by take one hotel each to call if the first choice is filled. Angel will take Wonstar while JP take Futurestar (since she seems rather enthu abt it) and Ade will handle Neijiang

I was really banging on TS, Wonstar Chongqing and Keyman's (I sorta like the latter 2 as they are nearer taipei mainstation & Shihlin!!) but the majority seem to like Ximen Station better. I sense there are some unspoken budget concerns even though that's just a difference of 10-20 bucks. Hmm...

Saturday, April 07, 2007

Hotels Hotels Hotels; Some Cheap Hotels in Taipei 台北

I really hope I won't end up in a fleapit motel :( If the indecisivness continues, I think I might be able to get everyone to upgrade to a higher end hotel! ^_^; To quote a taiwanese friend:

Try to book earlier to avoid disappointment. Few times, we cannot get our first choice via asiarooms even we try to book one month ahead... Red light districts to avoid :万华, 圆环.

Cheap and Clean hotels in Taipei We have 6 people so we have to book earlier to make sure we have rooms.. Note: List not sorted according to price or preference

Ximending Station Area

  • Royal Castle hotel Taipei 成都大饭店 No.115, Cheng Du Rd. Taipei Taiwan One Double Bed NT$ 1,780>~89SGD pax Two Single Beds NT$ 1,880>~94SGD pax Two Double Bed = NT$ 2,650 >~67SGD pax (for 4 person) Comments: Looks great but not keen on this cos it is near STD control center on the map. Run by same company as Rainbow Hotel

  • Won star / one star 万事达旅店 Branch 1: No. 82 Zhonghua Rd. Sec. 1, Ximending 台北市萬華區中華路一段82號 電話:886-2-2382-0889 傳真:886-2-2382-0719 雅致雙人房 一大床 2080+1880 元起~99SGD pax 標準雙人房 一大床 2280+2080 元起~109SGD pax Onestar (Taipei) Branch 3: No. 219 ChangAn E. Rd. Sec. 2, 12Fl., across town, in east Taipei Onestar (Seaview) Branch 4: No. 250-6 Beining Rd., Keelung City, at Bisha Port Comments: Branch 3 & 4 are irrelevant in our context

  • East Dragon hotel Taipei 东龙大饭店 地址︰ 漢口街二段23號 23,SEC 2,HANKOU ST.TAIPEI 電話︰ (886) (02)2311-6969 Deluxe Double Room NT2400-120SGD pax Deluxe twin Room NT2600~NT2800~140SGD pax Deluxe Triple NT3200~NT3400~113GD pax Quad suite NT4000~100SGD pax

  • Rainbow hotel Taipei 长虹饭店 no.36, Han Chung St., Taipei Taiwan 飯店電話:02-2311-9193 fax: 886-2-2388-5011 fax: 886-02-2388-5011 標準雙人房 bd bed 一大床 2150 元 1680 元起 online price~ 84 SGD 精緻雙人房 bd bed 一大床 2400 元 1880 元起~ 94SGD pax 豪華雙人房 bd bed 一大床 2680 元 2080 元起~ 104SGD pax 商務金香雙人房 twin bed 二小床 3400 元 2080 元起~ 104SGD pax 豪華三人房 1db bed 1 single 一大床一小床 3550 元 2280 元起~ 76SGD pax 家庭溫馨套房 2 db bed 二大床 3680 元 2780 元起 ~69.5SGD pax for 4~ 92.7SGD for 3 彩虹玫瑰套房 2 db bed 一房一廳 4260 元 2580 元起 ~64.5SGD pax~ 86SGD for 3 Comments: If the above link can't be accessed try this to reach their booking network. This Hotel is popular with budget travellers but a bit noisy due to location i think

  • King Shi Hotel 金帥商旅 地址:台北市昆明街142號7樓(近西門町)  TEL:(02)2381-8131 FAX:(02)2383-2729 E-mail:kingshi@pchome.com.tw 標準商務套房 1DB Bed 2800 1680 1960 [rack/norm/wkend] 精緻商務套房 1DB Bed 3000 1800 2100 豪華商務套房 1DB Bed 3300 1980 2310 標準四人套房 2DB 4800 2880 3360 豪華四人套房 2DB 5400 3240 3780 Breakfast included. all rooms add bed +NT500

  • TS Hotel (DaShun) 大顺 No. 170-172, HanZhong St., Taipei, Taiwan (near ChangSha St.) Tel:886-2-2381-8710 Reservation:886-2-2388-1315 Fax:886-2-2381-8713 One Double Bed NT$ 1,680>~84SGD pax Two Single Beds NT$ 2,280>~114SGD pax One Double Bed + Extra Bed NT$300/person = NT$ 2,480 >~83SGD pax *the above listed are promo prices

  • Future Star Hotel 明日大饭店 地址:臺北市成都路23號7樓 near Ximen MRT 電話:(02)2375-5500‧(02)2375-52299 傳真:(02)2331-2243 雙人套房 bd bed 定價 : $ 1,180 ~59SGD 溫馨套房 bd bed 定價 : $ 1,280 ~ 64SGD 精緻和式套房 定價 : $ 1,480 ~ 74SGD 豪華四人套房 定價 : $ 2,080 ~52SGD pax, 70SGD pax if cost split btw 3 person Comments: This Hotel is el cheapo therefore el popular with budget travellers but a bit noisy due to location i think

  • Neijiang Hotel 内江 108 台北市萬華區西寧南路112號 112 Xining S. Rd. Tel:02-2381-2147、2381-2148 Fax:02-2331-6340 Twin Weekdays: $1280 +Sunday: $1480 ~69 SGD pax Possible bed config: 4+2, 2+2+2, 3+3

  • King National Hotel 金國際 SPA旅館 http://www.kingnationalhotel.com.tw/ 108 台北市萬華區西寧南路159號 2nd floor Tel: 02-2331-3131~5 Fax: 02-2311-1253 Twin rooms only. starting from NT1600.

  • Handsome Hotel 函舍商務旅店 台北市成都路68號4樓(國賓戲院斜對面) 4F. , No. 68, Cheng Tu Rd., Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C. TEL:(02)2371-8812‧FAX:2389-5151 精緻商務套房 NT3760/ 1880/ 2180 (rack/usual/hols) 函舍商務套房 NT3960/ 1980/ 2280 (rack/usual/hols) 豪華家庭四人房 NT5360/ 2680/ 2980 (rack/usual/hols) 商務四人房 NT5960/ 2980/ 3280 (rack/usual/hols) includes breakfast

  • Burgary Hotel 寶格利時尚旅館 http://www.burgaryhotel.com/ 地址:臺北市中華路一段168號 專線:02-2382-1314 傳真:02-2382-1344 e-mail:service@burgaryhotel.com

  • Pai Yueh Hotel 百悦商务旅馆 台北市開封街二段42巷2號   電話 02-23881792  傳真 02-23891029 Comments: Ran by Hong Kong Company I think...A bloody hard website to access due to the buggy flash content.

  • Paradise Hotel 一乐园饭店 台北-西門町區 西寧南路24號 24,HIS NING SOUTH ROAD,TAIPEI 電話︰ (886) 02 2314-1181 網址︰ http://www.paradisehotel.tw try looking: http://letsgo.wingnet.com.tw/ Comments: website doesn't work. have old & new wing

Taipei Main Station Area

  • 台北‧城美大飯店  http://chair-hotel.network.com.tw/ 地址:台北市漢口街一段88號  電話:(02)23147305 傳真:(02)23146328 雙人房 (一大床) 2600 / 1560 [rack/norm&wkend] 雙人房 (二小床) 2800 / 1680 三人房 3100 / 1860 incl breakfast, no adding bed.

  • Keyman's Hotel 台北懷寧飯店 地址:台北市中正區懷寧街1號  電話:(02)23114811 傳真:(02)23115212 db bed 1760+1560NT=3320>1660pax~83SGD triple (db+single) 2200+1950NT=4150>1383.3pax~70SGD Comments: Comparable to One Star Chongqing. Straddles betw Taipei Main Station and Ximen. Direct booking from hotel network so you can see the no. of rooms currently available & room types at the different dates & get immediate confirmation.

  • City Inn 新驛旅店 100台北市中正區懷寧街7號 No.7, Huaining St., Jhongjheng District, Taipei 100, Taiwan (R.O.C.) near Taipei Main Tel: +886 (2) 2314-8008 Fax: +886 (2) 2331-3311 E-Mail: service@gocityinn.com Single Room $2000 ~ 100SGD CityInn Suite $2600 ~ 65SGD pax Twin Room $3200 - 80SGD pax additional guest charge $380 ~ 19SGD *prices shown are before promo Comments: a NEWly opened modernist concept hotel promo till 31 Dec 2007: 40-50% off room rates. Alots of things to eat. One of the hotels with gd english speakers.

  • Hotel Flowers Taipei 華華大飯店 No.19&36,Han-Kow St,1, TAIPEI,TAIWAN, R.O.C. TEL : 2312-3811 (20 LINES) FAX : 2312-3800 Room reservation special line TEL : 2331-7392 Standard Twin $2,400.00 ~60SGD pax Family Twin $2,500.00 ~63SGD pax Deluxe Twin $3,000.00 ~75SGD pax Extra Bed $300.00 ~15SGD Comments: Not uber cheap but near Taipei Main Station & B/fast included

  • Hope Hotel 全家歡旅店 電 話:02-23814755 傳  真: 02-23897984 地  址: 台北市中正區忠孝西路一段 72 號4樓 email: 100hopehotel@emmm.tw 獨享單人房 NT2200 元 1100/1320 雅緻雙人房 NT.3000 元 1500/1800 双床家庭房 NT.4200 元 2100/2520 http://100hopehotel.emmm.tw/
  • Miyi Hotel 名邑旅店 電話 02-23713151 傳真 02-23756199 地址 中正區漢口街1段4,6號2-4樓

  • (Taipei) Onestar Branch 2: 地址:台北市中正區重慶南路一段18號 No. 18 Chongqing S. Rd. Sec. 1, near Taipei Station TEL:(02)2388-7269 FAX:(02)2388-2983 雅緻套房 NT680/ 1980/ 2280/ 2900 (rest/usual/hols/rack) 名仕套房 NT780/ 2380/ 2680/ 3400 尊爵套房(Twin Bed) NT880/ 2680/ 2980/ 3800 尊爵套房 NT880/ 2680/ 2980/ 3800 All for 2 ppl only

  • Forte Orange Business Hotel 台北‧福泰桔子商務旅館  地址:台北市中正區開封街一段41號2樓 near wonstar chongqing Taipei Main Front station exit 1 電話:(02)23881523 傳真:(02)23881526 豪華客房Single Bed Rm 2800 1800 [rack/flat] 豪華雙床房 Twin Bed Rm 3200 2200 No breakfast Included. 現場加收費用:NT200 / 人

  • 璽愛旅店飯店旅館 aka 喜愛飯店旅店旅館 slovehotel

    www.slovehotel.com.tw

    台北市中正區忠孝西路一段72號3F(台北車站50公尺) TEL: 886-2-2388-0808 FAX: 886-2-2311-4112

Other Areas

  • Shandao Station

    Good Life Hotel 群来商旅 http://www.goodlife-hotel.com/ 電話:886-2-23217061 地址:台北市紹興北街31巷26號 DB NT1680 3p NT2280 extend 1h NT160

  • Minquan West Station

    Friends (Yo Chun)Hotel No. 55, Min Quan W. Rd. , Taipei, Taiwan , R.O.C TEL:02- 2597-2588 FAX:02-2598-6664 地址:台北市民權西路55號 溫馨和風房 ( 雙人床 ) $2500/ 1800 [rack/disc/-] 精品商務房 ( 雙人床 ) 含 $2700/ 1950 豪華商務房 ( 雙人床 ) 含 $2900/ 2100 貴賓廳房 ( 雙人床 ) 含 $3100/ 2250 Comments: W breakfast, Can only book 3 days in adv, Have airport car to bring us there $NT1100.

  • 東吳大飯店Dong Wu Hotel http://www.dongwu-hotel.com/ 地址:台北市延平北路二段258號 電話:02-25571260~9 傳真:02-25537614 經濟單人房(兩人用)  NTD 2,800 標準單人房(兩人用)  NTD 3,000 商務單人房(兩人用)  NTD 3,200 豪華單人房(兩人用)  NTD 3,400 豪華雙人房(兩人用)  NTD 3,800 豪華三人房(三人用)  NTD 4,200 加床五人房(五人用)  NTD 4,800 Incl B/F

  • Equally far from Minquan/Shuanglian/Zhongshan Station

    Silken Hotel (新凯商务旅店) 地址:台北市中山區新生北路3段76-1號  電話:(02)25855000 傳真:(02)25957722 Toll Free number 免付費電話:0800-500488 near Taipei fine arts museum

  • Near Shuanglian Station/Zhongshan Station

    Taipei Wish Hotel 微風商旅 台北市中山北路二段77巷17-3號 TEL: 02-25633369 FAX: 02-25677898 Email: wishotel@gmail.com 雅緻客房 3000 1950 豪華套房 3500 2275 貴賓房   4000 2600

  • Shin shih hotel 新仕商务旅馆 No.8 , Min Sheng W. Road. , Taipei ,Taiwan TEL:(02)2562-7466 FAX:886-2-25421477 精致房 $2560 $1780 ~89SGD/pax 豪华商务房 $2790 $2080 大和室房 $2970 $2180 尊爵房 $2970 $2180 豪华三人房(一大一小床) $3550 $2480=1653.4~83SGD/pax The calculated SGD is for online reservation $incl breakfast

Near Zhongshan Station

  • Friends(YoYo) Hotel Taipei 台北‧友友大飯店 Taipei Zhongshan Area Changchun Rd No.24 地址:台北市中山區長春路24號  電話:(02)25316767 傳真:(02)25119637 豪華套房 NT2570/1900 (rack/usual/-) 標準套房 NT2450/1800 商務套房 NT3150/2300 Comments: All 2 ppl rms. Checkin&Checkout at 12 noon

  • Leofoo Hotel 六福客棧 台北市長春路168號 168 Chang Chun Road, Taipei TEL: +886-2-2507-3211 FAX: +886-2-2508-2070 豪華套房 NT$ 5,280 [rack] 一般單人房 1,900 豪華單人房 2,100 一般雙人房 2,100 豪華雙人房 2,300 三人房 2,600 日式廂房(兩位) 2,100 comments: Incl Buffet Breakfast Prices Indicated not for * 97 年 3 月 13 日 - 3 月 16 日 * 97 年 6 月 3 日 - 6 月 7 日

  • V Near Station

    Royal Inn Taipei 老爺商務會館 台北市南京西路1號8~11樓 8~11F, 1 Nan King W. Rd., Taipei TEL: +886-2-2531-6171 FAX: +886-2-2531-6179 Single 單人房 Standard 標準型 17 NT$3,400 Business 商務型 20 NT$3,800 Deluxe 豪華型 20 NT$4,200 Twin 雙人房 Business 商務型 6 NT$4,000 Deluxe 豪華型 11 NT$4,400 Suite 套房 2 NT$6,600 Comments: A bit expensive but KIV

Near Zhongxiao Xinsheng Station

  • Betw JianGuo N. & Xinsheng Rd

    KDM Hotel 凱統大飯店 Zhongxiao East Rd Sec 3 No.8 台北市忠孝東路三段8號 電話: (02)27211162 傳真: (02)27119096 Economy Db NT$2,250/ $1,780 [rack/online$](1 ppl only)+200 for 2nd Biz DB NT$2,500/ $1,980 (1 ppl only)+200 for 2nd Superior Db NT$2,850/ $2,280 Deluxe Suite NT$3,350/ $2,680 Triple Rm NT$3,500/ $2,800

Near Nanjing East Rd Station

  • Hondo Hotel 皇都飯店 台北市南京東路四段55號之1 No.55-1, Nan-King E. Rd., Sec 4, Taipei TEL: 886(02)8712-1988 FAX: 886(02)8712-1999 Room Type [rack/disc] Japanese Style Room 2,980 2,380 Chinese Style Room 3,100 2,480 Delux Room 3,350 2,680 VIP Room 3,480 2,780 Business Room 3,480 2,780 Twin A 3,850 3,080 Twin B 3,850 3,080 Comments: Check in after 12 AM, and check out before 12 AM. We will charge 400 NT per extra person

  • Hsuan Mei Hotel 宣美商務飯店 台北市中山區建國北路一段52號 No.52, Sec. 1, Jianguo N. Rd., Taipei City 104, Taiwan TEL: +886-2-8771-3066 FAX: +886-2-8771-0851 Economic Double Room NT$3700/ 2400 [rack/discounted/-] Standard Double Room NT$4,000/ 2560 Superior Double Room NT$4,200/ 2880 Deluxe Double Room NT$4700/ 3000 Executive Double Room NT$5,300/ 3200

Near Core Pacific City Living Mall & puppet center nearest not so near Station: Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall

  • Golden Garden Hotel 台北市 蒲園飯店  Ba de Rd Sec 4 No.176 台北市八德路4段176號  TEL:(02)27530772 FAX:(02)27644441 雅品套房 房價 NT$2280 優惠價 NT$1780 雅緻套房 房價 NT$2480 優惠價 NT$1980 和風套房 房價 NT$2750 優惠價 NT$2180 商務套房 房價 NT$2750 優惠價 NT$2180 溫馨三人套房 房價 NT$2850 優惠價 NT$2280 貴賓套房 房價 NT$3000 優惠價 NT$2380 雅典套房 房價 NT$3250 優惠價 NT$2580 蒲園尊爵套房 房價 NT$3500 優惠價 NT$2780 優惠方案:1、住宿不分平、假日八折,附贈中西式早餐 2、休息三小時一律 NT$680 元

  • Charming Hotel 台北‧喬美旅店 地址:10563 台北市松山區八德路四段16號  電話:(02)27630555 傳真:(02)27657092 精緻客房 NT2500/ 1980 (rack/usual/-) 商務客房 NT2900/ 2260 貴賓客房 NT3100/ 2480 商務雙人房 NT3300/ 2480?! 喬美三人房 NT3400/ 2720

Strangely many budget hotel websites have flash content. Not that I don't like the nice pictures but the lag gets irritating after sometime. They should either provide have an OUT button where we can skip the snazzy slideshows/photos and get down to the important or have the critical info/links be in html so when the flash fails, we traveller can still read about the rooms, rates, location blah blah blah & have an ease compiling down our info.